The 29-member caretaker committee of the Labour Party, appointed by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and former presidential candidate Peter Obi, has announced plans to approach the Supreme Court over the ongoing leadership dispute within the party.
This decision follows the recent judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld the leadership of Julius Abure, the party’s National Chairman, and confirmed the legitimacy of the Labour Party’s March 2024 national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the committee, led by National Chairman Senator Nenadi Usman and National Secretary Darlington Nwokocha, expressed its dissatisfaction with the appellate court’s decision.
The committee believes that there are unresolved legal issues that only the Supreme Court can clarify, particularly regarding the leadership dispute.
They emphasized that the rulings of November 13, 2024, and January 17, 2025, by the Court of Appeal, raised critical points that need higher judicial scrutiny.
The caretaker committee has instructed their legal team to take action, while calling on their supporters across the country to remain patient as the case progresses.
The committee also confirmed that they would seek further clarification on the appeal court’s decision.
The January 17 ruling by the Court of Appeal was a significant moment in the Labour Party’s internal crisis, as it upheld the earlier judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which had recognized Abure as the legitimate leader of the party.
The ruling allowed Abure’s leadership to retain the rights and privileges of a fully registered political party.
This ongoing leadership struggle began after a crisis within the party led to the National Executive Committee (NEC) of Labour Party resolving to remove Abure, Punch reports.
To fill the leadership vacuum, a caretaker committee was formed, headed by former Minister Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwokocha as Secretary.
The decision followed an expanded stakeholders’ meeting chaired by Peter Obi and hosted by Governor Otti in Umuahia.
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